The last 24 hours have seen me on the internet quite a bit, as i moved quarters yesterday.  The most troubling thing is seeing many Seventh-day Adventists going way off into nuttyland, chasing aliens even!!

First it was a email from a missionary in Cambodia, saying that America is the one at fault in Georgia, because he heard so on a Russian TV program. (!) Then a very good friend in India wrote how the economy of the world will fall apart in September. (?) Then some surfing today revealed a relatively new SDA believer putting up a website that includes “troofer” stuff about the US govt. blowing up the twin towers. (*)  Then stuff from SDAs in Australia linking to a report that the US is making underground seed shelters in Norway to save the human race because Planet X is going to strike the earth in 2012.  It detailed a Norway govt. official’s trip down to the underground shelters where he sees signs and evidence of aliens from outer space…… oh my.

Brothers and Sisters, let’s get our minds out of this garbage, and into the present truth!  Let’s preach and teach and live the Three Angels’ Messages.  There isn’t much time left while we can do it in relative safety and peace.  Let’s quit the lies and advance the truth.

At the nominally Seventh-day Adventist school where i taught in Bangkok, there was a “Bible Bowl and Sports Day”. The whole day was devoted to these two main events. The Bible Bowl had each class giving a skit and a song, and then after intermission, mimes by the teachers and a quiz. The quiz questions were prepared by each home room teacher.

The kindergarten questions were cute – like “Who built a big ark?” with the teacher miming nail pounding etc. The 1st&2nd grade question – “Who said Here am i, send me?” 3rd&4th grade (my class) – What two things must you do to be saved?” And 5th grade – “Who was Moses’ sister?”

OK, all decent Bible questions, right? Now each teacher had prepared 8 questions on paper, and i had cut them up and put them in a hat to draw out. So sometimes a grade got 2 questions in a row, and sometimes not for a long while.

“What was the name of the region the Israelites wanted to travel to after leaving Egypt?” “What did Hannah make for Samuel?” “What is the Golden Rule?”

At this stage it still had not dawned on me, but around the time of the third question a pattern became very clear – Most of the teachers were just teaching Bible like any another subject – dry, boring facts with no relation to the students’ hearts or eternal life. How can these things be? Don’t we realize this may be the only time in the life of these non-christian students to really learn about the true God? We only have one class period a week to study religious themes (Values). There is very little time in school proper to open a Bible with the students. And when we do, what are we teaching?

Isn’t it 100 times more important for the child to know what two things they must do to be saved than the name of somebody who died 3000 years ago? And if they really live the Golden Rule, they will no doubt be in heaven too. But some historical fact? How will that affect their hearts and lead them closer to Jesus and heaven? As a Christian, sure, we should learn all the Bible we can, even the historical facts. But for non-christian little children, what could they possibly care if Joseph had a black coat, white coat, or coat of many colors?

Yes, the 1st&2nd grade teacher along with the 5th grade teacher were both fighting God at that time (I hope they have since repented). So their own lack of walking with Jesus evidenced itself in their lack of spirituality in their questions for the children in their care. So sad for those children tho….

Please God, may the seeds planted last school year not be totally lost, but may you preserve them, and when the timing is right, give them lots of water and sunshine to grow strong for you – to live forever with you in heaven 🙂

How can this be? The country i travelled to less than two years ago to spread the 1858 Great Controversy is being overrun by the Russian army. Tuesday, sitting in the comfort of a cybercafe with lots of young men around me shooting at virtual people, i saw pictures of real soldiers doing the same thing.

The report i read mentioned that the Russians had taken Gori, a town less than 100km from the capital of T’bilisi. That name struck a bell. I had gone thru it twice by bus, on my way back and forth to the Turkish border. Now it is in Russian territory?

What about our Seventh-day Adventist Brothers and Sisters in that country? Even without this attack by the Russians, there were plenty of problems facing the small, 400-or-so member church. What will become of them? My friends, my heart goes out to you. T, I, B, G, are you able to keep strong in the faith during this time of trial? G and O, have you come back from Ukraine to Georgia, and more importantly, have you decided to come back to the truth as Jesus Christ is?

What will happen to the little flock there? Lord Jesus, please watch over them, please keep them safe, please may the entire country become more concerned about eternal things, and may the people called by your name stop petty power struggles among themselves, and stop compromising, and realize what it means to be face to face with you. Please protect them from the attacks of Russia and of Satan.

Nice email from my pastor friend…..

Wow! During these few weeks I was busy engaged in several assignments to expand His ministry in remote and unreached areas in Himalayan hill as pursuing negotiating for church land, NOC – No Objection Certificate from local Bxxx  government and forming local Adventist committee, estimation etc….. in Sikkim xxx State. In Eastern Himalayan Sikkim state one generous brother donated plot of land in remote rural areas and there we conducted cottage meeting and 30 members accepted 3 Angels Messages and join SDA Church faith.

In this remote village in Sikkim we do not have any church we tried to make small hut as prayer hall but xxx majority dismantle and burnt it. The reason villagers got afraid many will change their religion and some politician were behind it but still we had fellowship under the tree in the same area where they dismantle our hut but we did not retaliated with them instead made friend and serve as community social health workers.

As the time passed by we thought of making small bamboo house to stay half as living room and half as prayer hall. But we did succeed because in the same room we did stay and put few beds to sleep and kept kitchen utensil. Therefore, villagers were not able to destroy this house since it became home before their eyes instead of worship hall. But during Sabbath, mid-week, vesper etc… our fellow continuously gathers in this room and had worship plus made as multipurpose. Our member’s continuous sincere prayer to our Lord was answer at last.

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